Fuming mums slam historic Manchester pub after kids 'told to turn the iPads down'

-Credit: (Image: Attila Kemenyfi)
-Credit: (Image: Attila Kemenyfi)


Two fuming mums have slammed an historic Manchester pub for not catering properly for their kids in its restaurant - and claim their youngsters were told to "turn the iPads down" while they were dining.

The mums took to Tripadvisor to deliver two bruising one star reviews of Victorian pub Sam's Chop House in Manchester City Centre after a Sunday lunch there. They say that no children's menus were offered, not enough high chairs were available and that they were left appalled when asked by staff to turn down the iPads their brood were watching in the restaurant.

The acclaimed Manchester boozer is situated in a basement building that dates back to 1868 on Back Pool Fold. Visitors navigate one set of stairs to get into its main pub area, where a statue of LS Lowry famously sits, and then walk through an entry at the back to its main restaurant space fitted with ornate tiling and wood panelling.

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The mums said they were told they were not allowed to take their prams into the restaurant "which was fine" they added. But were then left frustrated to find only two high chairs were available, when they needed four for their youngsters.

Sam's Chop House on Black Pool Fold
Historic Sam's Chop House on Back Pool Fold -Credit:Manchester Evening News

They then said they were appalled to find there were no children's menus which meant their kids "couldn't have a meal". They added they were using iPads to keep the children entertained but that "rude" staff told them to "turn their devices down but they weren't loud at all."

The mums delivered their verdicts on public review website Tripadvisor after a Sunday lunch experience last month. After complaining about the service they were also scathing of the food as well, saying: "I’d rather have gone to Toby carvery for half the price and a much more decent roast dinner than atrocious meal they call Sunday roast."

In her review, Heidi S wrote: "I don’t usually write reviews but I’m appalled at the disgusting service we received yesterday. We came to Manchester to visit family and went to what we thought looked a nice restaurant for a roast dinner.

"We was with 4 young children and told that prams aren’t allowed in restaurant. This was not a problem we wanted high chairs for them anyways to eat their dinner.

The restaurant inside Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi
The restaurant inside Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi

"When we got to the table we asked for the high chairs only to be told they only have 2! Had to stick one of my children in their pram.

"There was no children’s menu so my children couldn’t have a meal! The roast dinner was horrible! Looks lovely, great presentation but I may as well go to tesco and eat raw vegetables off the shelves because that’s exactly what they were, RAW! The beef was nice but only had 2 small slices. 1 roast potato that was basically a boiled potato."

She said the "customer service was horrendous" and claims a staff member: "asked us to turn my children’s devices down even though they weren’t loud at all! We had to entertain them with iPads because the restaurant didn’t provide anything for children to do like usual restaurants, not even food menus for them!"

Turning her attention back to the meal, she said: "£20.00 for a roast? I’d rather have gone to Toby carvery for half the price and a much more decent roast dinner than atrocious meal they call Sunday roast. Their target audience and preferred audience is definitely posh people who come WITHOUT CHILDREN and drink wine from the £100 bottle.

"We felt very uncomfortable in there and will not be returning. If you like a roast dinner avoid this place at all costs and if you have children definitely don’t go here.

"I’m surprised they didn’t tell my baby to be quiet for the other guests when she started to cry, I mean we had enough funny looks everytime one of the children spoke!"

Alongside it was a review from Joanne S who said: "Booked a table for 6 adults and 4 children for Sunday lunch 1st issue only had 2 high chairs 2nd issue was told by rude staff for the children to turn their tablets down saying they got other customers in, bearing in mind these customers were talking louder 3rd issue they didn’t cater for children couldn’t even do mash So children ended up not eating And 1 of our party was that disgusted with their attitude they decided not to eat either."

She added they "did not feel welcome" and that the roast dinner was "not even worth the money".

A famous bronze statue of LS Lowry sits at the bar inside Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi
A famous bronze statue of LS Lowry sits at the bar inside Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi

Sam's Chop House and Mr Thomas's Chop House on Cross Street are both run by the Victorian Chop House Company. Pubs' boss Roger Ward said he "held his hands up" that some things did not go right on the day of the mums' visit.

He said: "We do try, if we have got something wrong, we try to make it right. We take all complaints seriously and genuinely try to improve from it.

"We didn't perform that shift at our best, but have taken significant steps on all the issues they've raised and we thank the customers for raising them."

Roger explained that on the date of their visit, there had been "an enormously high number of children" visiting their two pub sites in Manchester. He said: "We had a shortage of high chairs on the day because two were in repair and two from Sam's were over at Tom's because of a high number of children over there - by the end of the day that issue was rectified."

On the issue of a children's menu, Roger insisted that they are a child-friendly pub, and offer smaller portions of adult meals rather than a specific kids' menu.

Children are welcome to have smaller versions off the menu at Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi
Children are welcome to have smaller versions off the menu at Sam's Chop House -Credit:Attila Kemenyfi

He said: "Our policy on food is we don't buy in frozen children's meals, what we actually do is offer small versions of the proper real food cooked for adults here so that children get the same quality as the adults. But whether we communicaed that well on the day I don't know.

"I always apologise if people have a bad experience, and find a way to make amends. That's the only way to run a restaurant nowadays because we live and die by experiences people have. I don't believe attack is in the best form of defence, we can always learn by things we do wrong.

"If you want to take your kids out in nice surroundings, we would always want to be that place, we are child friendly and dog friendly, it's not fine dining, but we do strive to be a nice place where kids and dogs are welcome."

He pointed out that on the issue of the iPads with the customers, staff had made the request for them to reduce the sound after it was raised as a complaint by other tables of customers dining on the day.

Roger added: "The errors we were at fault on, we've addressed properly, robustly but nicely.

"These reviews are not representative of our approach to children. We always aim to be child friendly and dog friendly because I have children and grandchildren (and a dog) myself."